An Italian chef lost his job at a restaurant after refusing to put pineapple on a pizza, calling the topping an "insult to his culture." Davide Tamburella was dismissed from the now-closed La Costa eatery following a series of complaints about his conduct.
He was accused of declining to prepare a ham and pineapple topping for guests at an event in Brisbane, Australia. At the time, Davide maintained that any orders from bosses "need not be followed when it is offensive to his culture."
Fair Work Commission Findings
The country's Fair Work Commission said it was because "he considers, as an Italian, that putting pineapple on a pizza is an insult to his culture." It noted this was the third time he had refused to do so in four years.
The chef had previously asked his bosses to "check how important it is for Italians not to put pineapple on a pizza." Other concerns raised included Davide using foul language, his communication style, and an "escalation of frustration in the workplace."
Unfair Dismissal Claim Dismissed
The hearing also heard that the chef fractured bones in his right hand when he struck a metal hand rail at work in April. He lost his unfair dismissal claim in Australia because the application had been filed too late.
The restaurant's managing director, Elliot Ingram, insisted there was "more to this story than a pizza topping." On his LinkedIn profile, Davide describes himself as someone focused on "delivering exceptional food" and "improving business performance."
New Role in Brisbane
The profile says he now works at another Italian restaurant in Brisbane where pineapple is not on the menu. The state of Queensland is considered Australia's pineapple capital, and on the Sunshine Coast, visitors flock to take photos next to The Big Pineapple, a 16m-tall fibreglass model of the fruit.
